Valve control means for flush tanks for toilets



Jan 22. 1952 I J. CASTELLANO 2,583,468

VALVE CONTROL MEANS Fon FLUSH TANKS FOR ToILETs Fi'ld Jan. 13, 195o n' BY MMM ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 2.2, 1952 UNITED STATESl PATENT OFFICE VALVE coN'moL MEANS Fon FLUSH TANKS Foa rroILE'rs James Castellano, New York, N. Y. Application January 13, 1950, Serial No. 138,336

2 Claims. 1

construction of the valve stem and its associated.

Wire link member, by means of which it is possible to readily stop the flushing operation at the will of the user.

Every time a conventional iiush tank is operated, the water contents thereof must drop until it substantially reaches the level of the valve seat of the ilush outlet at the bottom of the tank before the buoyant valve is seated, thereby concluding a single flushing operation. This means that once the tank handle is actuated most of the Water in the tank is discharged, as there are no means in the conventional flush tank for controlling the amount of the discharge during a flushing operation. In the course of a single ushing operation, at least five gallons of waterV are discharged each time. This is obviously an extravagant and unnecessary waste of water, as in many instances only a small amount of water is required for flushing.

It is therefore the principal object of this invention to provide simple and novel valve control means for flush tanks, whereby the operator may stop the discharge of the water in the tank at any time during a flushing operation, thereby controlling the amount of water discharged at Will. The said valve control means can thus `be readily actuated to move the buoyant valve into its seat, when the water in the tank is at any level above the said seat.

Other and additional objects and advantages of the invention are as follows:

(a) Water is greatly conserved, without sacriflcing the full requirements of complete sanitation;

(b) Overflow of the toilet bowl can be prevented when the bowl becomes stopped or clogged;

(c) The improved control means can readily be installed in al1 existing types of flush tanks;

(d) The said control means may be produced at low cost;

(e) The said control means are simple land effective in operation and highly effective inconserving water; and

(f) Entanglement of the valve stem is avoided.

Other objects of the invention will be set forth in the following description and drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of the essential parts of a flush assembly embodying the invention, the buoyant valve being seated in its valve seat, and the actuating handle being in its normal upward inoperative position;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but illustrating the buoyant valve in its raised or flushing position; i I

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view through a toilet tank, incorporating the improved valve control means; and I Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the improved valve stem assembled with the wire link, which constitutes the essence of the invention.

' Referring to Fig. 3 of the drawing, `this shows a conventional flush tank T having the usual cover C. The said tank is provided with a ilushing-water outlet Ill, the said outlet being centrally located at the bottom of said tank and having its lower end connected with a toilet bowl, or the like, in any conventional manner (not shown). The upper end of said flushing outlet I0 terminates in a valve seat H, to receive the ball-type buoyant valve I2. A lateral extension or conduit I3 projectsfrom said valve seat Il, the said extension supporting the vertical overflow pipe I4.

An inlet valve I5 controls the water supply pipe I6, and tank T is lled through the depending refilling pipe I1. The latter pipe is downwardly disposed' in order to quietly ll the said tank. A hollow metal iloat I8 controls inlet valve I5 in the usual manner. Said float is mounted on the end of a radius arm orl rod I9.

the said arm or rod being pivotally mounted adjacent its opposite end in an L-shaped bracket 20. Links 2| and 22 are the operative connections between the float arm I9 and the valve Il5.

Tank T also includes an operating handle H (press-down type) which is exteriorly located. The shank of said handle is operatively connected to one end of a valve-trip arm or lever 23. In the normal inoperative position shown in Fig. 1 and in the dotted line position of Fig. 3, handle H is in its extreme upward position.

What has been described thus far typically represents the conventional tank constructions. The part of the combination that comprises the invention herein resides in the novel flush valve control construction of the valve stem 24` and its associated wire link member 25.

The lower end of the vertically disposed valve stem 24 is threadedly connected to the upper end of buoyant valve I2. The said valve stem is slidably mounted in guide bracket 26 which 1s sevalve stem. A'loop 29 is formed inI wire link 25,

said loop being disposed above ring 28 in spaced relationship thereto, and being in alinemen't therewith. When link member 25..is,rnade-of bendable wire, it is desirable to provide a rein.V

forcing sleeve 30 on said link intermediate loop 29 and ring 28. However, when saidlinkm'ember is made of non-bendable wirefsleeve-.Blmay be dispensed with. The said wire'link '2'5 pivotally depends from the end of valve lifting armorlever 23. Said assembly isl effectuated by insertingxthepupper endxof wire y1ink-25finto one ofthe 4 is done, link member 25 is returned to its vertlcal position and loop 29 is caused to impinge and strike against the circular head 21 of valve stem 24, thereby forcing ball valve I2 into its seat II, and stopping the exit of the water from the tank. In this manner, the water discharge can be curtailed at any desired water level above the level of the valve seat. In other words, the ball valve Y I2 maybeprematurely seated at anytime during a flushing operation at the-'willofthey user. Said valve I2 may be thus closed at any time before 1 the full quantity of the water in the tank is discharged.. Y

- TIt will be understood that the improved valve stem and wire link member that constitute the essenceoffthelinvention may be varied without departing fromthespirit of the invention. It

"likewise may'be' altered as existing installations three1spacedreyelets. 3| formedfin'the outer ,end

of lever.23,1 and 'then bending 'the -saidfend `downe wardlyfand around "to, lockthe said .linkpon said4 lever.

Fig.- lshowsthe buoyantivalve I2-seated in its valve'fseat `I I., vIn this inoperativeor non-,flush ing position, head 21 of valve stem 24 abuts -the bottom ofloop 29 Voflink member 25, and ring 28/y of said link member isfseated onguide bracket 26. When handle H is manually `depressed downwardly .-in the directionvshown by the arrow in-Fig. 2,v lever y23 Aand its associatedy link mem,- ber are Agraised,v thereby .unseatingv the ball valve :12,- and thus starting :the flushing `operation.VV The said yball valve willTbe raised tothe full position shown in Figs` 2 vand3, and the .elevation Vof said .link ,member is ylimited bythe lower Lend of guide bracket 26. In thisposition,

valve-stem 24 7willremain infits verticalposition,

Y tothe fact that the apertured Vend .of,.lev,er 23 circumscribes an arc in its upward and..down

wardgtravel.. Y

By .reason `ofthe buoyancy of .ball valve I2, nurv mally the `said valve would remain; elevated `.un-N.

til .it was drawn on toits .valve `seat by the, suction `.produced :bythe I weight of the descending..

water level. V.I-Iowever,,byreasonof the improved construction, it is a very simple matter to overa vcome lthe buoyancy of `ballvalveIZ .and refsealt.

the Ysame when ,the water .inthe tank isat any level above valve .seat I. I Thiscan A.be :accom-.-

plished,:atY any time, during Aaflushing operation.

merelyby pushing .handle .H .upwardly,' in the `directionof .the-arrowfshown in`Fig.3. f Whenjthis mayirequire.

What is claimed is: ,1. In combination Ywith .1a. lfluslrftank :having a flush-.outlet .and a-buoyantvalve-for said outlet;V a control unit for .said buoyant valve, Y.said .unite including a stem .for said valvemounted inea guide bracket for vertical-reciprocation'-solelyfin the direction of length of thevalveaxis, -a-mane ually operative pivotally 'mounted arm.r and a rigid linkmember articulatedwith the-arm; said stem extending through a lateral "ringffformed at the lower end of the link member and being. slidable therein, said valvestem being provided with a substantially fiat enlarged headeatjthe upper end thereof to assemble'said stemwithsai'd` link-member, a lateral projection.providedvonsaitlV linkV member r above the lateral ring,said?projecf:

tion being spaced from ysaid ringrand inalinerrientl therewith, said projection being ,adaptedetosstrikei the stem head andto prematurely seat the valve during a flushingioperation, whenffsaidflinkmember'is forced downwardly.

2- YA valve control unit in `accordancewith `claim` lfin which areinforcing sleeve ismoun-tedonfthe;` link member intermediate the lateral ring- .and

lateral-projection. Y

vJ AMES CASTELLANO.

' REFERENCES CITED' Theifollowing Areferences are of .record in :t'li'e file of this `patent:v

UNITED STATES yPJENTS 

